The Delhi government is set to provide free coaching to 2,200 meritorious students from government schools for various competitive exams like JEE, NEET, CLAT, CA Foundation, and CUET-UG. This initiative falls under the Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Vidya Shakti Mission, with a budget allocation of ₹21 crore.
Education Minister Ashish Sood announced the initiative on Monday, emphasizing the mission's aim to empower students, ensure their emotional well-being, and build future-ready schools across Delhi. Sood highlighted that this program is not just about exam preparation but about transforming lives by providing educational resources and fostering courage, confidence, and emotional strength. He also stated that the government wants to ensure every child in Delhi feels seen, heard, and supported, emphasizing that education is about mental wellness, dignity, and humanity, not just marks.
Under the Vidya Shakti Mission, coaching will be provided after school hours and on weekends by coaching institutes such as Aakash Institute, Narayana Academy, KD Campus, and Ravindra Institute. Seat allocation includes 50 seats each for JEE, NEET, CLAT, and CA Foundation, while CUET-UG will have 1,000 seats. To promote inclusivity, the scheme reserves seats for girls, with 50 seats in each of the JEE, NEET, CLAT, and CA Foundation courses and 150 seats in CUET-UG.
More than 62,000 students appeared for the selection test held in October, and physical classes for the selected students commenced in late November after counseling and verification. The initiative will provide students with classroom coaching, live sessions, study material, and test preparation support. The Directorate of Education is also strengthening support systems, including counseling, teacher sensitization, and peer support, to ensure the emotional well-being of students preparing for these national exams.
Sood described the Vidya Shakti Mission as a movement to empower talent, protect mental wellness, bridge societal gaps, and unlock Delhi's academic potential at the grassroots. He also mentioned the government's broader vision of AI-enabled classrooms, emotionally safe learning spaces, and equal academic opportunities for all children. The Education Minister stressed the government's focus on emotional well-being in schools, advocating for stronger psychological support systems, early distress detection, and enhanced teacher training in mental health.
